While research on black single parent families seemed to dominate the study of black family life during the Sixties, virtually none of the research actually focused on the internal structural/functional dynamics of family life. The purpose of the proposed research is to describe the strategies used by single black women to combine the roles of breadwinner and homemaker/childbearer. One hundred semi-structured interveiws will be conducted with black single mothers who have at least one preschool or elementary school aged child. Both quantitative (computer based) and qualitative (thematic) methods will be used to analyze the data. The analysis will focus on how mechanisms for combining and adapting these roles may differ because of 1) marital history - residential arrangements (previously married, never married - only adult present, other adult present), and 2) the presence of social networks (resources relied on for support, information and advice). Special attention will be placed on the use of formal and informal services and sources of support to assist this process.